West Virginia

I am Michaela and I am 18 years old. In my free time I love to decorate cakes, play guitar, read, and sing. I am involved with my church worship band and am headed to Messiah University to study nursing! 

I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 12 years old and wore a back brace for three years along with my twin sister. I wore a Rigo Cheneau brace 21 to 22 hours a day. This was a time that taught me a lot about myself. I was able to realize how strong I was. During my time being braced, I really enjoyed wearing my brace on the outside because I do not think that it is something to hide. Scoliosis was able to shape me into who I am today. 

As a Curvy Girls’ Leader, I want to help girls with scoliosis feel a lot more comfortable with their condition. I hope to create an environment where we all get along, have fun together, and make memories! I also want us all to grow more comfortable with sharing our scoliosis journeys. 

My name is Lillian and I am 18 years old. I love to kickbox, and paint in my free time. My scoliosis story starts when I was diagnosed at 10 years old. We didn’t think too much of it, but later that year we went to the Pediatric Specialists of Virginia and determined that I had a 28-degree curve. This meant that I had to start my journey of being braced. About 6 months after starting in a brace, I had a big growth spurt and my spine increased to a 36-degree curvature. This led me to start taking my scoliosis more seriously and wear my brace more so that I could prevent having the need for surgery. I was braced for 3 1/2 years total in a Rigo Cheneau Brace. My scoliosis experience has shaped many areas of my life and it is an experience that was vital to my development as a young woman. Having scoliosis has made me stronger and more resilient, I want to share that experience with other girls that have scoliosis and help them along the way. 

My sister and I wanted to start a Curvy Girls’ group because we knew some kids in our community that could use this support group, and we didn’t have one around us. We are so happy to lead the Curvy Girls of the Shenandoah Valley.